scholarly journals COVID-19 Restrictions in a Nature Reserve Reveal the Costs of Human Presence for the Threatened Nubian Ibex (Capra nubiana)

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuval Zukerman ◽  
Zehava Sigal ◽  
Oded Berger-Tal
Keyword(s):  
Water Source ◽  
Nature Reserves ◽  
Water Pool ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
Trail Cameras ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Preferred Hours ◽  
Rare Opportunity

The increasing pressure of ecotourism on wildlife in their natural habitats leads many wild animals to alter their behaviors. The restrictions issued in many places due to COVID-19 provide a rare opportunity to examine wildlife behavior in nature reserves with reduced human presence, and to reveal the impact of human visitation on the behaviors and fitness of local wildlife species. In 2019 and 2020 we placed trail cameras next to two natural springs in the Israeli Negev Desert, Ein-Avdat and Ein-Shaviv, located 9 km apart. Both sites serve as the main water source for local Nubian ibex (Capra nubiana) populations, but Ein-Avdat is situated within a popular national park into which visitors’ entrance was restricted due to COVID-19 regulations in 2020, while Ein-Shaviv is more remote and thus attracts only few visitors regardless of COVID-19 regulations. Our study revealed that during 2020, ibex in Ein-Avdat arrived to drink earlier in the day and the population’s Female:Kids ratio more than doubled. These changes were not observed in Ein-Shaviv. We found that the daily number of visitors in Ein-Avdat affected the arrival time of ibex to the water pool. We conclude that the reduced number of visitors to Ein-Avdat in 2020 compared to 2019 may have allowed ibex to arrive in preferred hours, and may have contributed to the increased kid-to-females ratio. Our study shows that behavioral adaptions to human visitation in nature reserves might carry a high fitness cost.

scholarly journals Assessing Habitat Vulnerability and Loss of Naturalness: Applying the GLOBIO3 Model in the Czech Republic

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 5355
Author(s):  
Vilém Pechanec ◽  
Ondřej Cudlín ◽  
Miloš Zapletal ◽  
Jan Purkyt ◽  
Lenka Štěrbová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Czech Republic ◽  
Habitat Quality ◽  
Species Abundance ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Infrastructure Development ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
The Czech Republic ◽  
New Equation ◽  
The Impact

Global and regional biodiversity loss is caused by several drivers including urban development, land use intensification, overexploitation of natural resources, environmental pollution, and climate change. The main aim of our study was to adapt the GLOBIO3 model to the conditions of the Czech Republic (CR) to assess loss of naturalness and biodiversity vulnerability at the habitat level on a detailed scale across the entire CR. An additional aim was to assess the main drivers affecting the biodiversity of habitat types. The GLOBIO3 model was adapted to CZ-GLOBIO by adapting global to local scales and using habitat quality and naturalness data instead of species occurrence data. The total mean species abundance (MSA) index of habitat quality, calculated from the spatial overlay of the four MSA indicators by our new equation, reached the value 0.62. The total value of MSA for natural and near-natural habitats was found to be affected mainly by infrastructure development and fragmentation. Simultaneously, intensity of land use change and atmospheric nitrogen deposition contributed primarily to the low total value of MSA for distant natural habitats. The CZ-GLOBIO model can be an important tool in political decision making to reduce the impact of the main drivers on habitat biodiversity in the CR.

scholarly journals Paleoenvironment of the Lower–Middle Cambrian Evaporite Series in the Tarim Basin and Its Impact on the Organic Matter Enrichment of Shallow Water Source Rocks

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 659
Author(s):  
Mingyang Wei ◽  
Zhidong Bao ◽  
Axel Munnecke ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
G. William M. Harrison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Shallow Water ◽  
Tarim Basin ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Major Elements ◽  
Source Rocks ◽  
Middle Cambrian ◽  
Sedimentary Environments ◽  
The Impact

Just as in deep-water sedimentary environments, productive source rocks can be developed in an evaporitic platform, where claystones are interbedded with evaporites and carbonates. However, the impact of the paleoenvironment on the organic matter enrichment of shallow water source rocks in an evaporite series has not been well explored. In this study, two wells in the central uplift of the Tarim Basin were systematically sampled and analyzed for a basic geochemical study, including major elements, trace elements, and total organic carbon (TOC), to understand the relationship between TOC and the paleoenvironmental parameters, such as paleosalinity, redox, paleoclimate, paleo-seawater depth, and paleoproductivity. The results show that the Lower–Middle Cambrian mainly developed in a fluctuating salinity, weak anoxic to anoxic, continuous dry and hot, and proper shallow water environment. The interfingering section of evaporites, carbonates, and claystones of the Awatag Fm. have higher paleoproductivity and higher enrichment of organic matter. Paleosalinity, redox, paleoclimate, paleo-seawater depth, and paleoproductivity jointly control the organic matter enrichment of shallow water source rocks in the evaporite series. The degree of enrichment of organic matter in shallow water source rocks first increases and then decreases with the increase in paleosalinity. All the samples with high content of organic matter come from the shallower environment of the Awatag Fm.

Monitoring of small rock pools reveals differential effects of chronic anthropogenic disturbance on birds and mammals in the Calakmul region, southern Mexico

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Carlos M. Delgado-Martínez ◽  
Fredy Alvarado ◽  
Melanie Kolb ◽  
Eduardo Mendoza
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Anthropogenic Disturbance ◽  
Forest Cover ◽  
Biosphere Reserve ◽  
Bird Diversity ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Rock Pools ◽  
Southern Mexico ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Great attention has been drawn to the impacts of habitat deforestation and fragmentation on wildlife species richness. In contrast, much less attention has been paid to assessing the impacts of chronic anthropogenic disturbance on wildlife species composition and behaviour. We focused on natural small rock pools (sartenejas), which concentrate vertebrate activity due to habitat’s water limitation, to assess the impact of chronic anthropogenic disturbance on the species richness, diversity, composition, and behaviour of medium and large-sized birds and mammals in the highly biodiverse forests of Calakmul, southern Mexico. Camera trapping records of fauna using sartenejas within and outside the Calakmul Biosphere Reserve (CBR) showed that there were no effects on species richness, but contrasts emerged when comparing species diversity, composition, and behaviour. These effects differed between birds and mammals and between species: (1) bird diversity was greater outside the CBR, but mammal diversity was greater within and (2) the daily activity patterns of birds differed slightly within and outside the CBR but strongly contrasted in mammals. Our study highlights that even in areas supporting extensive forest cover, small-scale chronic anthropogenic disturbances can have pervasive negative effects on wildlife and that these effects contrast between animal groups.

scholarly journals Invasive Scots Pine, Pinus sylvestris, Replacing Corema, Corema conradii, Heathland in the Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia

2005 ◽  
Vol 119 (2) ◽  
pp. 237 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul M. Catling ◽  
Susan Carbyn
Keyword(s):  
Pinus Sylvestris ◽  
Scots Pine ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Dominant Species ◽  
Vascular Plant ◽  
Agricultural Crops ◽  
Deschampsia Flexuosa ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Annapolis Valley ◽  
The Impact

Examination of air photos from 1930, 1970 and 2002 revealed stands of the European Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) invading remnants of natural Corema (Corema conradii) heathland in the Annapolis valley. To document the impact of the introduced pines, four natural habitats were compared with two adjacent habitats already invaded by the pines. All surveyed habitats had been dominated by Corema heath based on air photos taken in 1930. Twenty 1 m2 quadrats were used to record presence and cover of vascular plants at each site. The invasive alien pines reduce the native cover to 12%. Vascular plant biodiversity is reduced to less than 42% and the cover of the heathland dominant, Corema conradii, is reduced from over 100 % to less than 2%. with Deschampsia flexuosa becoming the dominant species. The modified ecosystem and loss of biodiversity has economic impacts through loss of pollinators of agricultural crops and loss of germplasm of native crop relatives.

Effect of the Gabčíkovo Waterworks (Slovakia) on riparian floodplain forest ecosystems in the Danube inland delta: vegetation dynamics and trends

Biologia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mária Petrášová-Šibíková ◽  
Igor Matečný ◽  
Eva Uherčíková ◽  
Peter Pišút ◽  
Silvia Kubalová ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Forest Ecosystems ◽  
Supply System ◽  
Floodplain Forest ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Plant Species Composition ◽  
Forest Species ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rare Opportunity

AbstractHuman alteration of watercourses is global phenomenon that has had significant impacts on local ecosystems and the services they provide. Monitoring of abiotic and biotic changes is essential to mitigating long-lasting effects, and the 23-year dataset from the Gabčíkovo Waterworks provided a rare opportunity to assess the impact of groundwater regimes on vegetation. The main aim of this study was to describe the effect of the Gabčíkovo Waterworks on vegetation structure and species composition of the adjacent riparian floodplain forests over the past 23 years. The results are based on studies of three permanent monitoring plots (PMPs) located in the Danube inland delta – two outside (PMP 1 and 3) and one (PMP 2) fully under the influence of the artificial supply system. Our results demonstrate that the Danube inland delta was negatively affected by the Gabčíkovo construction, particularly for sites outside of the artificial supply system. There was a significant decrease in soil moisture and increase in nitrogen at both external PMPs (1 and 3). Alter soil conditions were accompanied by negative changes in plant species composition demonstrated by decreases in the number of typical floodplain forest species that are characteristic for the alliance

scholarly journals An approach to stress assessment during hunting: Cortisol levels of wild boar (Sus scrofa) during drive hunts

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Güldenpfennig ◽  
Marion Schmicke ◽  
Martina Hoedemaker ◽  
Ursula Siebert ◽  
Oliver Keuling
Keyword(s):  
Wild Boar ◽  
Cortisol Level ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Serum Cortisol ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lower Saxony ◽  
Pregnant Females ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
Cortisol Levels ◽  
The Impact

AbstractOnly little is known about the effect of stress (both short-term and long-term) on wildlife species. To get an idea of stress in wildlife, we investigated the cortisol level of wild boar during drive hunts in Lower Saxony, Germany. Cortisol as one of the main stress hormone in mammals is considered to have negative impacts on the animal’s well-being if expressed excessively (repeatedly over a longer period). We analysed serum cortisol levels of 115 samples using a radioimmunoassay and compared sampling month, hunting grounds, age classes and sexes, as well as possible correlations between cortisol level and weight and pregnancy status of female wild boar. We found that cortisol levels during these drive hunts exhibit wide variation. The mean cortisol level was 411.16 nmol/L with levels ranging from 30.60 nmol/L (minimum) to 1,457.92 nmol/L (maximum). Comparing age groups and sexes, we found significant differences between the sexes, with females having a higher cortisol levels than males. After grouping age groups and sexes together, we also found significant differences based on the age-sex group. We found no correlation between cortisol levels and weight, but significantly higher cortisol levels in pregnant females compared to non-pregnant females. No differences were found between sampling months and locations, respectively. These results show the impact of drive hunts on stress in wild boar; nevertheless, this impact of drive hunts as performed in most parts of Central Europe seems to be not as high as imagined. Still, we need more information about cortisol levels and stress in (hunted) wildlife species.

scholarly journals Rapid sex-specific adaptation to high temperature in Drosophila

eLife ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sheng-Kai Hsu ◽  
Ana Marija Jakšić ◽  
Viola Nolte ◽  
Manolis Lirakis ◽  
Robert Kofler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Strategies ◽  
Adaptive Strategies ◽  
Selection Response ◽  
Functional Requirements ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
Medical Treatments ◽  
Specific Adaptation ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Impact ◽  
New Mutations

The pervasive occurrence of sexual dimorphism demonstrates different adaptive strategies of males and females. While different reproductive strategies of the two sexes are well-characterized, very little is known about differential functional requirements of males and females in their natural habitats. Here, we study the impact environmental change on the selection response in both sexes. Exposing replicated Drosophila populations to a novel temperature regime, we demonstrate sex-specific changes in gene expression, metabolic and behavioral phenotypes in less than 100 generations. This indicates not only different functional requirements of both sexes in the new environment but also rapid sex-specific adaptation. Supported by computer simulations we propose that altered sex-biased gene regulation from standing genetic variation, rather than new mutations, is the driver of rapid sex-specific adaptation. Our discovery of environmentally driven divergent functional requirements of males and females has important implications-possibly even for gender aware medical treatments.

scholarly journals Environmental Impact Statement on Kolleru Lake Water

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 2509-2512
Keyword(s):  
Surface Water ◽  
Lake Water ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Agricultural Runoff ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Surface Water Bodies ◽  
Alternative Water ◽  
The Impact

Catchments are most important for the purpose of practicing irrigation and recharging groundwater by collecting water during the rainy season so that the nearby land will be in surplus quantity of groundwater due to the continues percolation of water from the catchments, even the stored water in the form of catchments will be used as an alternative water source for other requirements apart from the irrigation practices such as for industries and other developmental activities taking place nearby the catchments. Year by year it was noticed that in the world scenario the pollutant concentration is keep on increasing especially water and air pollution due to the excessive load of population that is increasing from the rural to urban areas [10]. Coming to water pollution the major portion of pollution is increasing in the surface water bodies [4] due to various activities like surface runoff, intentionally releasing of untreated effluents from the nearby industries into the catchments [8] and the agricultural runoff etc, whatever the reason there is an immediate need and an emergency to monitor these catchments as the average rainfall is gradually decreasing due to the changing climatic conditions like global warming which leads to the reduced availability of water in the surface water bodies at the other side the existing water is being contaminated [5] by the activities of nearby people. The impact will be severe when the same situation continues in the days to come where the living standards of the people will be decreased at a notable level and the impact will be much more severe on the irrigated land which depends on the catchments. The study has done at Kolleru Lake in west godavari district, Andhra Pradesh. Collected Six Water samples from six locations around the lake for analysis [7] and then the results of the analysis compared with Central Pollution Control Board 1979and Indian standards 1982 guidelines for water in the surface water bodies to find out the present scenario of lake water.

scholarly journals Effects of a New Pedestrian Pathway in Grand Teton National Park on Breeding Sagebrush Songbirds

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 3-7
Author(s):  
Anna Chalfoun
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Risk ◽  
Breeding Habitat ◽  
Energy Budgets ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Wildlife Species ◽  
Fitness Consequences ◽  
Risk Of Predation ◽  
Natural Landscapes ◽  
Wildlife Populations ◽  
Induced Changes

Human-induced changes to natural landscapes have become ubiquitous, resulting in exposure of wildlife populations to novel stressors (Munns 2006). While it is clear that changes such as habitat loss can directly impact wildlife species, less clear is the extent to which human presence itself functions as a disturbance that influences wildlife behaviors with important fitness consequences. Animals clearly respond to perceived risk of predation by natural predators via, for example, fleeing, or altering foraging and/or breeding habitat selection (Marzluff 1988, Hakkarainen et al. 2001, Frid and Dill2002, Blumstein 2006, Borkowski et al. 2006, Fontaine and Martin 2006). Such responses can alter access to important resources, energy budgets, and therefore attributes such as body condition (Bechet et al. 2004) with potential impacts to survival and reproductive output. Of critical importance to the management of wildlife populations is therefore to determine 1) whether wildlife species perceive human presence as predation risk, 2) how individuals respond to such risk, and 3) how such responses influence fitness consequences and therefore population dynamics and community structure.

scholarly journals Internet of Trees

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 750-753
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Web Server ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Fire Detection ◽  
Natural Habitats ◽  
The Public ◽  
Recorded Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The Internet Of Things

The frequency of the forest fires that have occurred in the different parts of the world, In recent decades significant population problems and causing the death if the wild animals as the impact of these fires extend beyond the destruction of the natural habitats. The proliferation of the Internet of Things industry, resolutions for initial fire detection should be developed. The valuation of the fire risk of an area and communication of this realities to the population could reduce the amount of fires originated by accident or due to carelessness of the public user. This paper proposes a low-cost network based on NXP Rapid IOT kit and Long Range (Lora) technology to autonomously estimate the level of fire risk in the forest. The system comprises of NXP Rapid IOT kit which humidity, air quality and detection of the tree fall. The data from each node stored and processed in a in a web server or the mobile application that sendsthe recorded data to a web server for graphical conception of collected data.

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